Disclosure: WigSec purchased this game for review purposes. The developer and publisher have no editorial input on this content.
The Basics
Game: Elden Ring Platform: PC (Steam), PlayStation, Xbox ESRB Rating: M for Mature 17+ (blood and gore, language, suggestive themes, violence) Price Model: One-time purchase; Shadow of the Erdtree expansion sold separately Online Features: Optional multiplayer (co-op and PvP), player messages
Elden Ring is an open-world action RPG created by FromSoftware (Dark Souls, Bloodborne) with worldbuilding by George R.R. Martin. Players explore a vast dark fantasy realm, fighting challenging enemies and bosses while uncovering cryptic lore. It won Game of the Year and has sold over 25 million copies.
Content Considerations
Mature but less extreme than many M-rated games:
Violence: Combat involves medieval weapons and magic against fantastical enemies. Attacks draw blood, and enemies can be dismembered. It’s violent but more stylized than realistic—fantasy combat, not torture porn.
Horror imagery: Some enemies and environments are disturbing. Giant hands, twisted creatures, body horror elements. The aesthetic draws from dark fantasy and cosmic horror traditions.
Gore in world design: The environment includes corpses, blood pools, torture devices, and similar imagery consistent with a dark fantasy setting.
Suggestive themes: Some character designs are revealing. Nothing explicit, but some NPCs have sexualized appearances.
Mild language: Occasional profanity, but not pervasive.
Dark themes: Death, decay, corruption, madness, and the fall of civilizations. The lore is about a broken world trying to find redemption or embrace oblivion.
Difficulty: Elden Ring is famously challenging. Boss fights can take dozens of attempts. This creates frustration for some players and satisfaction for others.
Overall: The M rating is appropriate but this is less extreme than games like Cyberpunk 2077 or The Last of Us. The content is dark fantasy violence and horror imagery rather than sexual content or realistic violence.
Online and Privacy Exposure
Moderate exposure—online features exist but are optional.
Asynchronous multiplayer: Players see “ghosts” of other players and can read/write messages. This happens automatically when online.
Co-op summoning: Players can summon others (or be summoned) for cooperative boss fights.
PvP invasions: Other players can “invade” your game for PvP combat. This can be restricted but is part of the default experience.
No voice chat: Online interactions are limited to gestures and preset messages. There’s no direct communication.
Bandai Namco account: Optional, not required for core gameplay.
Third-party stat tracking: Websites track player statistics and activity for those interested.
Privacy Settings to Configure
Steam Level
- Profile to Private or Friends Only
- Game activity to Friends Only
In-Game Settings
- Launch game Offline: From the main menu, you can play offline to disable all multiplayer features. This eliminates messages, co-op, and invasions.
- Online settings: If playing online, review Network settings:
- Cross-region play can be disabled
- Password matching restricts co-op to friends who share a password
- Messages: Other players’ messages appear in the world. These are constructed from preset phrases and can’t include custom text or identifying information.
If Playing Online
- Use password matching for co-op with friends only
- Understand invasion mechanics: When you summon help, you become vulnerable to PvP invasions. Playing solo or offline avoids this.
- Character name: Don’t use identifying information—it’s visible to other players during online interactions.
Talk to Your Kid About
- The difficulty: This game will not hold their hand. Getting stuck for hours on a boss is normal. They need to be okay with failure as a learning tool.
- The online features: Explain invasions before they happen. Being killed by another player unexpectedly is frustrating if you’re not prepared for it.
- The tone: The world is intentionally bleak. If they find it too oppressive, that’s valid feedback about their preferences.
- Looking things up is okay: The game’s systems are opaque. Using wikis and guides is common and acceptable—it’s not cheating.
- Managing frustration: Dying repeatedly to the same boss can cause real frustration. Taking breaks is healthy.
Bottom Line
Elden Ring is an exceptional game that older teens can likely handle—the content is dark fantasy violence rather than explicit adult content. The M rating is appropriate but this isn’t in the same category as games with sexual content or realistic violence.
The primary parenting considerations are difficulty (can they handle repeated failure?) and online features (invasions may frustrate players who aren’t expecting them). Privacy exposure is limited since there’s no voice chat and online interactions are anonymous, but character names are visible and offline mode exists for those who prefer complete isolation.
If your teenager enjoys challenging games and dark fantasy settings, Elden Ring is one of the best games of its generation. Configure online settings based on their preferences—friends-only co-op via password matching is the safest approach if they want multiplayer. Offline mode removes all exposure entirely.